The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-11-17
The Atlanta Contest.

n INl BC anu CHGIuNl"oblS PlNhlbiVN'A
meeting was held in Atlanta on the Sd
inst. Many distinguished speakers
we're present, among them Henry w.
Grady, one of the editors OF the Allan
ia Constitution His remarks are re-
ported as follows
Amid tumultous calls of "Grady,"
cheers and waving of handkerchiefs,
Mr.. Henry Grady took the stand. He
made an earnest appeal for unity and
good will, He said, if the conclusion
was reached in rancor and bitterness,
it will result in an injury whichever
side wins. II the result was reached
in fellowship and good feeling, the
victory would be crowned with a con-
sistent enforcement Of law, or defeat
would be mitigated in its results. He
laid down two propositions: First,
that prohibition hadn't had fair trial /;
second, that even in its imperfect form
it had proven demonstrated sue
cess.
Now, said he, ''let me give you some
facts-my facts. They have been
laughed at a good deal, but they al
ways got there just the same. Col.
George Adair rents to thirteen hun
dred tenants. He tells me he does
not issue one distress warrant for rent
where he formerly issued twenty" He
took up the real estate agents one by
one and showed that their testimony
was that where they had before issued
twenty warrants a month, they hadn't
issued one in twelve months. He then
pictured poor family ousted by a dis,
tress warrant, and as he outlined the
pathetic picture handkercniefS came
out all over the audience, and tears
glistened in Il thousand eyes. He
said the talk about the shades OI
; Washington and Jefferson didn't
amount to much. II wouldn't give
the happiness OF one rosy-cheekcd
fair-haired little woman for the shade'
OF every man that ever contended fol
personal rights since Cataline conspir
ed and Caesar fought The testimony
of these gentlemen is that wher,
twenty families were turned ont il
the streets, now nineteen are happy il
their hoMes.
''Is there an answer to this argu
ment? If it was the only one tha
could be advanced it must settle tn,
question. even If joe Browns rents arr
reduced five Thousand dollars" H,
: then took up the testimony Of employ
ers and showed how garnishments haC
decreased in like ratio, and mention
ed numerous well-known men VIII,
had changed from ants to prohis
y The figures on the books show owe
' four thousand more poll taxes las
{ year than the year before. There ar
over eight hundred more children a
the schools this year than last. Tha
means either that there are more pee
pie i'll Atlanta, or more who are abl
u to send their children to school tax
u either horn of the dilemma you like
; The court records show a decrease il
crime, the absence Of vagrancy and
,, hundred per cent. less larceny.
II He repeated the statement of w.
20 Pledger in the ants meeting, tina
~ when ladies' left their homes and mir
= gled in this contest, they deprive
~ themselves OF the right of our homag,
and said "That outrageous sentimer
was cheered by that audience. A
., long as God spares my life / will vot
i" with no party that cheers such sen
y iment." He then closed with refe
- once to the hopes he had centered
his boy, and the duty of every fatht
u in the premises. His preroration ws
- brilliantand eloquent, and was gree
- ed with prolonged cheering.